Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables to enjoy when the seasons start turning colder. It might not taste sophisticated like arugula, but cabbage is packed with nutrients and is pretty cheap. Which makes it a winner in my opinion. You can use cabbage as a more nutritious crunchy base for salads instead of lettuce, pack it into lunch wraps or enjoy in soups, stir-fries, stews and curries. After a summer full of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and all the peaches I could eat, cabbage is back on my grocery list. I’ve been buying cabbage and making healthy cabbage additions to my meals.
Growing up I wasn’t the biggest fan of cabbage, my mom only made boiled cabbage it just had that smell to it. But then I grew up and now I can’t get enough. Cabbage is cheap, super resilient (it stays good in the fridge for many weeks), it’s super healthy and versatile. I love it in salads – it’s crunchy and so much better than lettuce…but once you sauté it…well, it is simply irresistible. Simple shredded cabbage with ranch dressing is a staple side I eat weekly.
According to the Mayo clinic, cabbage, especially red cabbage, seems to raise levels of beta-carotene, lutein, and other heart-protective antioxidants. It also helps lower something called “oxidized” LDL, which is linked to hardening of the arteries. And since it eases inflammation, it can help prevent heart disease. Half a cup of cooked cabbage has about a third the vitamin C you need for the day. It also gives you servings of fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K, and more. Cabbage has 1 gram of fiber for every 10 calories. That helps fill you up, so you eat less. It also keeps you regular, and it could help lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and control your blood sugar. Cabbage also has nutrients that keep the lining of your stomach and intestines strong. Its juice also can help stomach ulcers heal.
This week’s recipe is an easy stir fry. Chop all your ingredients first then stir fry. Add other vegetables for more flavor like carrots, peppers, and zucchini. If you don’t want to use beef, you could make this low carb cabbage stir fry with ground turkey or chicken or even boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast. If you want to make this stir-fry vegan, you can use tofu. In fact, I have a vegetarian version of this cabbage recipe with tofu also.
Cabbage stir fry
Ingredients
3 cups red or green cabbage
1 red pepper, chopped thinly
2 scallions, thinly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tbsp tamari sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro (if you like)
1lb ground beef (or chicken, turkey, pork)
1 carrot, cut in strips
2 tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
Add ground beef to a nonstick pan with one garlic clove and some oil of choice. After a minute, stir, breaking the pieces apart. Let the beef sauté for about 5-6 minutes at medium-high heat. Use the time while the beef is cooking to chop your vegetables – cabbage, carrots, peppers and the parsley (or cilantro) and scallions. Stir in the chopped cabbage, crushed pepper, carrot, another minced clove of garlic and the scallions. Cover for about 2-3 minutes to allow the vegetables to cook. Stir in the chopped pepper, the last clove of garlic and the tamari sauce. Add a little bit of oil if needed and stir for 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately!
Vegan option-cabbage tofu stir fry
Ingredients
6oz/ 180g smoked tofu
4 cups cabbage, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly chopped
1 mushroom, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ onion, small, thinly chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp tamari sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Wash your vegetables and chop everything: tofu in slices, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, onion and ginger. Peel and mince the garlic. Heat a nonstick pan, add some oil to it to sauté the mushroom for about 2 minutes while stirring. Move the mushrooms to the side and add in the sliced tofu. Let the tofu cook for about two minutes, then flip to get it golden brown on both sides. Add some crushed red pepper if you want. Stir in the onion and ginger. Then add in the garlic, cabbage, carrot and finally the tamari sauce. Let cook and stir occasionally for about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
